Day 45 1295 days to go. Distance: today 0 km total 3137km. It’s 2pm Monday 20/8/12 Katherine.
Hiiiiiiiii. Back in Darwin already crazy the last four days have gone in a moment filled doing very cool stuff but where did the time go? I keep thinking about the Dali Lama…. ‘Don’t be sad that it’s over be happy that it’s happened.’ Rube and I will reply all the very cool things that have happened since posting you last in Darwin.
Darwin is a very funky big dot city town. It’s quite alternative and a multicultural mecca and gateway to Asian folk and trade. I’ve loved loved catching up on emails and knowing the photos are uploading now before we venture westwards is a cool thing indeed.
We’re so excited about this next stage venturing towards the delights of WA. But firstly there’s still about 4 days of NT to savour and the road between here and Kununarra is apparently stunning. We’re not going to wait and get right into it this arv after finishing up here. There’s a rest stop 70kms ish west of Katherine and that’ll be us tonight all going well. And Rube is going well my gorgeous girl. We dropped her off at ‘Spokes’ bike shop in Palmerston on Friday and the lads there checked her out thoroughly fine tuning what was needed but pretty much giving us the thumbs up through to Perth. She was good to collect Sat afternoon and hasn’t stopped raving about the boys there since 🙂 We were able to get her a maxis 16” tyre for her trailer so she’s feeling like a red jet star and biting at the bit to get into it this afternoon. Hey I got an email from the Polish lad who I met cycling into Jabiru. His name is Pawel and he was hoping we got back to Jabiru all safe and sound after the sunset at Ubirr. That was very thoughtful of him. He’s working his way back to Katherine doing what we did by car yesterday via Litchfield NP, Edith Falls and Katherine Gorge. Enjoy it mate the three parks are really something. Don’t forget the togs otherwise you’ll have to swim in the grundies like I did which was socially unsound but who cares it had to be done!!!! We had a safe ride back to Jabiru and were kept company by the stars and bats catching the bugs attracted to the head torch. Hope to hear from you soon x
I got up super early Saturday morning and went for a 2hr huge run to see the sun come up and check out the Darwin Peninsula from the wharf round to Mindy beach famous for the sunset markets Thursday and Sunday nights. Back home for some breaky then we hit the Saturday markets opposite Fannie Bay. They are a multi cultural market with international foods and smells that kept me floating for the hours of wondering. Fabulous place and a haven for those of us who love to butter fly from one cool sensation to the next. We did some great shopping and my best eatty treatty was a Chinese container jam packed with sliced frozen mango for $3 oooooohhh myyyyyyyy loooordy yuuuuum!!! I sat indulging just short of an ulcer all the while listening to a young Bolivian lad busking with his ukulele and bamboo mouth organ…… he was pure fun talent ta boot. Sunday we drove back down the Stuart Highway via Litchfield NP, Edith Falls and Katherine Gorge. I had the best swims in what was the clearest blue green waters alive with fish but no big lizards. We chose Wangi falls at Litchfield and it was a delish choice and a playground of paradise. There are so many walks and options in all three areas to visit and I’m so glad we got a great taste bud fix ’til next time. Edith falls were allot shorter but the waterhole a bigger expanse diametered with sheer rocky cliffs. And the crème de la creme to end the day was to see the sun set from on-top Katherine Gorge. It was a pretty hot spot day road trip that would take some beating as far as cool factor goes. I’m on such a high of delights care of Mother nature and Country NT style.
I even had a drunken lad Saturday night donate $10. I hope he remembers his generosity and to collect his receipt from reception the next morning. $1174.35 cash donations with Daniel’s addition. For now it’s time to upload this post and get on the road for a beautiful afternoon peddle. Talk soon x
It’s 5.30pm and I didn’t quite get out of Katherine. I remembered I still had some have-tos to get done before starting again so headed back to the campgrounds we stayed at last night and got a freebie stay which is great. I have scored a new tent for an early birthday pressie which is a free-standing ‘black wolf’ dome. It’s extremely cute and the right shade of green and is called the ‘grasshopper.’ Very cool. Ive been given heads up from other campers that the ground gets exceptionally hard now into WA and no place for pegs so the new addition to the kit is just awesome yay. Ive set it up and sprayed it with a silicone waterproofing as added protection and now its drying and curing overnight and I must say showing off all shmick green in the afternoon light. Ive also washed my stinky running gear from Darwin and about to check out the kms through to Perth and do a plan A itinerary through to then. A better place to start the next leg feeling a bit more organised. The campgrounds have a lovely feel to them and have found a good posie by the billabong. The resident ducks have already visited and left in disgust getting no treats but I’m sure they’ll be back at dinner o’clock a bit later. So that’s me for the evening and into it again tomorrow. It’s been a beautiful few days of R&R and Rube and I are very excited about the road westwards. We’ve also had a slight change of plans for our September break and are going to fly back to Brissie and Maleny to spend some time with the family and enjoy home space together which will be beautiful. We’re roughly working on being home from the 25/9 to the 5/10 the fly back to Perth for the next half of Theaussiehchallenge. This’ll also give me a chance to organise a bit more fundraising ideas to make sure we meet our $14500 target. All very good indeedy. The resident guinea fowl are out for their afternoon social stroll. They’re the funniest critters such busy and forthright ladies. I’m sure there’s handbags under those wings 🙂 Talk soon x
shecyclesolo 